7th Hell
by ohsocreative
Summary: The Fleming's own a large chain of horse farms,and are building another in Ireland.Amy is sick of moving and decides to stay with old friends,the Baldwins who have seven boys.She crushes on one,while avoiding another..who proves to be unavoidable..tyamy
1. I Will Dare

_**Summary: **_

_Amy's mom and dad have been running Heartland's around the world for as long as she can remember. She has lived in over five states in the USA, and both North and South England. There are seven Heartlands in the Heartland Chain and it has been a little over two years since the newest farm in Virginia was completed. Marion and Tim (her parents) both like to supervise each new farm for at least a year, and sometimes more. So now it is time to start yet again because Heartland is so much in demand (they deal with healing, racing, and jumping), and their horses are overpowering their farms. So they start to pack, ready to move on from Virginia, when Amy puts her foot down. She is sixteen and going into her junior year. She has stayed in Virginia longer than anywhere else, and loves it. She doesn't want to move, and especially to Ireland. So when she is given the option to stay with old family friends that live only an hour and a half from where she lives in Virginia, she readily accepts. She will still be in Virginia, and she is ready and willing to travel back every weekend to stay with her best friend Soraya._

_She remembers the family she will be staying with very well, the Baldwins. They are a family of nine. Mother, father, and seven sons. She remembers the little boys who used to pull her hair and chase her with snakes, and although she dreads living with them, she still isn't willing to give up Virginia, so she goes. What she doesn't expect is that most of those 'little boys' have grown up to be not so very little. They are worthy of the Gods with the bodies they adorn, well...most of them. But only one she cares about...Ian. Ian is a year older and sooo not pulling her hair anymore. So whilt she chases him for a change, she has to deal with Ty, who is a grade A jerk who can't wait to get rid of her because she took his room._

_Will she be able to survive with seven boys? Will she get over the hairs left in the sink that make her want to vomit? Will she get Ian, like she wants, or will an unlikely canadite come forward and steal her heart?_

**Note:** This story is based on the book Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian (an awesome book), not 7th Heaven. 7th Hell just worked, and 7th Heaven was the inspiration.

**One**

_August 13th_

Amy Fleming sat, quietly, studying the folder laid out before her. She was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice her parents as they stepped into the large room where she sat. Her long auburn hair was in a loose ponytail and draped casually over her shoulder, and she was slumped forward, reading. The pen grasped loosely in her hand was flicking slightly back and forth. After a moment of watching her Marion Fleming cleared her throat.

Amy's eyes darted up and gazed, startled, at her parents. "You scared me. What's up?" She pushed back her chair slightly and laid her pen down on the papers in front of her. Lacing her fingers around the arm rests on the chair, she leaned back and smiled encouragingly at them.

Tim Fleming cleared his throat, and lightly tapped the papers that were in front of her. "What are these?"

Not moved in the least by her fathers nervousness Amy just shrugged. "The papers for the new border. He should be here tomorrow and I just wanted to brush up on his problem." Amy's parents ran a large chain of equine farms that specialized in the healing of abused horses and also they participated in racing and jumping. They had seven farms, under the name of Heartland, located in the United States and England.

"Star, right?" Marion asked and Amy just nodded, not wanting to get into the horses problems. She knew they had probably read the papers that day too, and they were just stalling. For what, she had no idea.

When they just stood there for a moment Amy leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk, "So, did you guys want something?"

"Yes, actually." Tim took a deep breath, one that Amy had learned to recognize, but hadn't seen in a while, and she immediately perked up. Before he could even continue his sentence Amy had jumped in.

"No." Marion looked startled and Tim just took another deep breath. "No!" This time she was more hysterical, her fingers grasping the desk as she stood up.

"Amy, we understand how you might feel about this, but before you jump to conclusions I want you to..." Amy slapped her palm against the desk to get her mother to be quiet.

"No. You do not understand how I feel about this!" She was on the verge of crying and blinked back the unwarranted tears. She quickly ran through all the deep breathes her father had taken over the years, and took a deep one herself. She had heard that certain intake of breath six times before, and was not in the mood to hear it again. She was comfortable this time, happy. She had friends that she'd known for over a year and a school she actually liked, and the workers at Heartland were nice and were teaching her more things than she could hope for. She was not ready to move again. Two more years, two more. That's all she asked for and then she'd be out of High School and able to make her own decisions.

"All my life I have been moving. The longest we have ever stayed in one spot was when I was a baby, and I don't remember it, so that shouldn't even count. We've been here two years, that's a record! Guys, I like it here. I really do. Please," she begged them. "please don't make me leave."

Marion glanced at Tim with a sad face and nodded slowly. Amy looked back and forth at them, trying to figure out their silent consent.

"Amy, we have to go. We've already signed a contract for the land in Ireland, and we don't renege on things like this." Amy sucked in her breath. Ireland? So far?

"But Daddy," Amy begged with her eyes and Tim brushed a piece of fly away hair behind her ear. He looked so sad that Amy was confused, she looked at her mom and saw tears glistening there. Now totally baffled she looked up at her father with a question in her gaze.

"Amy, you don't have to go." He finally spoke and Amy actually flinched.

"I don't?" She looked at him like he was crazy and he smiled sadly.

"No. Your mother and I realize that this moving around isn't good for you and you want to stop, and we do too, soon. We signed this contract when we signed the one for this land, but we have put it on hold for a long time. We can't do that anymore. It's a lot of land and it's going to take a while to build and we still have to decide which horses to transfer and which ones to buy. We're thinking maybe two years, at the least, for this one." Amy just raised an eyebrow. "We know you want to finish school in the states, namely Virginia, so we have a proposition for you."

"And that would be?" Amy asked, readying herself for the answer that had her so bewildered.

"Do you remember the Baldwin's?" Amy nodded, having no clue where this was going. She vaguely remembered the few visits when she was a child in which a whirlwind of little boys pulled and tugged at her. Ripping her dress, pulling out her hair, hitting her with inanimate objects. Sure, she remembered them. "Well they live about and hour and a half away from here, on their own farm, and would graciously let you stay with them until we come back from Ireland and you finish school."

"The Baldwin's?!" Amy gasped and Marion nodded. "As in screaming little boys who relish in ripping off my pigtails and throwing boulders at me. Those Baldwin's?"

"Amy, they aren't little boys anymore. Most of them are around your age, save a few younger ones. I think the youngest is in the fifth grade." She laughed lightly. "They're hardly ripping pigtails and throwing rocks anymore."

"Boulders." Amy said lightly, still startled by the news.

"Boulders?" It was now Marion's turn to look confused.

"They didn't throw rocks, they threw boulders. Big whopping ones that broke the skin and gave you an instant headache." She nodded. "Boulders."

Tim chuckled and coughed to cover it up. "Look, Amy. I know you want to stay here, but we don't completely trust any of the workers here enough to take care of you. We've known Mark and Lily for over 20 years, we trust them. I mean, what's one more kid in the long run? They have seven, for God's sake."

"I'll go." Amy blurted out. She had been thinking silently while they blabbered on and had decided quite easily. Sure, she wanted to be with her parents, she loved them, but she also loved Virginia. She wanted to stay in one place, and that was the US, strictly Virginia. Their farm was only a little over an hour away, she could easily drive down every weekend and stay here or with Soraya for a few days. It definitely beat going to Ireland.

"To Ireland?" Marion seemed startled but also happy. She clearly didn't want to leave Amy.

"No, to the Baldwin's. I'll live with them until graduation. Only two more years." Amy closed the folder on the desk and picked it up, before standing in front of her parents.

"Look, I love you guys and don't like the fact that we're going to be separated any more than you do, but you're right. I hate moving and although I'll still be moving, at least it isn't light years away. I like Virginia, and I like it here. So I'll visit on the weekends...I can't do that if I went to Ireland. So I'll go to the Baldwin's if that's my only option."

She smiled lightly and passed by them towards the door, breathing deeply.

Seven boys, her own personal Hell.

**Note:** TA-DA 7th Hell. The second chapter may be up soon because I already have it half way done and then after that, no more until after New Years. So MERRY (early)CHRISTMAS / HANUKKAH / KWANZA and HAPPY (early) NEW YEAR.


	2. We Might As Well Be Strangers

**Two**

_Two weeks later: Moving day: August 28th_

Amy rested her head on the window of the car as is sped along the highway. They had been driving for over an hour, and she knew they were nearing her new home. Next to her, driving, was Lily Baldwin. She had driven there the day before and they had left around noon. It was now 1:23, and some of the roads were looking familiar. Which could only mean one thing.

"Almost there." Lily smiled at Amy, and she made an effort to smile back. Lily was slightly shorter than Amy, who was 5'7, and had dark blonde hair cut to her shoulders. She had been so nice to her that she instantly warmed to her. If they were all like this, Amy would be fine.

Only ten minutes later they turned onto a dirt road lined with humongous pine trees. Where Amy had lived previously there was a lot of woods and trees, but this was more beautiful than she had ever imagined. Those trees were just itching to be immortalized, and Amy knew just how to do it. She silently promised herself that soon she would come down here with her camera and take a few pictures.

"Any doubts?" Lily asked as the Jeep bumped along the road.

"No, I'm pretty adamant in my decision." She paused. "Thank you, by the way. It's great of you to let me stay here."

Lily waved her hand in dismissal, "No problem. It's a pleasure. When you live with eight boys for over twenty years, you grasp any female companionship that comes along."

Amy laughed and looked back out the window. About a mile down the road they came to only the second mail box that she had seen. Lily turned into the driveway and Amy held her breath. She may have remembered the boys, but the farm evaded her memory.

As it came into view, she breathed in and took in the sight. The paved driveway, certainly smoother than the road, was straight, only curving a little because the house was set slightly to the left. The house was a huge old fashioned Victorian. It was a neutral beige color and was obviously in need of some repair. She saw some loose siding and some stains along the hem of the house. She knew it was an old house, so all of this was normal, and all in all, the place was gorgeous. The grass was green, with trees lining the property, and their large barn was way behind the house. It looked to be able to hold about ten horses, maybe less. Amy knew they weren't a large farm, small and simple. The horses they had were for them, not for anyone else. They bought and kept, not bordered and healed. Lily had said that there would be a stall open for Amy's horse, Summer Rain, so Amy figured they had at most nine horses of their own. To the left and right of the barn were two large paddocks and two working rings. Behind the barn was a very large pasture where the confines were barely seeable. They surely spoiled their horses.

Amy guessed that they had at least twenty acres, including the woods. This sight truly awed her, and was only _slightly_, okay _hugely_, heightened by the sight of Testosterone City itself. Out in the large pasture were eight people, apparently the rest of the Baldwin Clan. One, a little boy, was a top a large Chestnut and had a whistle in his mouth, the string dangling. Two were standing across from each other, over about thirty feet, maybe more, between two bails of hay each. The other six were between them. After a moment of squinting Amy saw they were playing soccer.

As she watched the tallest one lifted up his shirt to wipe away sweat and Amy realized her mom was right, theses guys _weren't _little anymore. Oh, they were _so_ not little anymore.

Lily parked the car where the driveway spanned out to the right of the house to accommodate her Jeep, a minivan, two pick-up trucks, and two cars. _Wow_, Amy thought, _they sure know how to pack 'em in. _

"Ready?" Lily turned off the car and let the keys dangle while she looked over at Amy.

"Yeah, I think. You have a beautiful house!" Amy couldn't help but acknowledge it in conversation. It was so big and great that it would feel like a sin to leave it out.

"Thanks. I've always loved it. We bought it when I had Ty. He was our fourth, and we knew we would need more room, because I had a feeling there would be more. And boy, wasn't I right? So we built the barn and moved in." She took the keys from the ignition and looked back at Amy. "Wait till you see the inside, its much less impressive, due to the lack of estrogen present. Maybe they'll start to help out now that you're here. You know, to impress you or something." She stepped out of the car and walked around to Amy's side, waiting for her to get out then they started towards the pasture. "Although," Lily said as they neared the boy's and the tall one saw them and pointed them out, and noone stopped, just glanced. "maybe we shouldn't get our hopes too high on that one."

Amy laughed and was positive that was what stopped the soccer game. They went silent as she laughed and her cheeks heated up as eight eyes were trained solely on her, and most likely, she thought, her boobs.

"Boys, this is Amy. I'm sure most of you remember her." Lily patted Amy's shoulder and she saw her give the boys the 'mom eye' and then an older man stepped forward.

"Hello, Amy. I'm Mark, if you don't remember. We're very glad to have you here, even if these dimwits over here don't show any common courtesy." He glared at his sons and they just shuffled their feet.

"Boys, stop being rude. Introduce yourselves." Lily poked one that looked to be about Amy's age, maybe a little younger, and he stepped forward.

"Hey, I'm Jake." He smiled and held out his hand. Amy shook it and smiled back. Jake was about as tall as Amy with short sandy blonde hair and an athletic build. Although, that seemed to be a trend with these guys. He ambled backwards and began to point out the boys.

"This is Mike, he's my twin...if you can't tell." Oh she could. The only difference, that she could see, was that Jake had ice blue eyes, while Mike had a darker sapphire blue. "Were going to be sophomores, you're a Junior right?"

"Yeah." Amy nodded and Jake then turned to a tall guy who stood in a pair of tan khaki short and a dark green t-shirt that had a stain along its hem. Amy could see his abs through the shirt and took in a breath. Out of them all this guy, or the one next to him, was the most built. He had dark brown hair that was the longest out of them all and it curled slightly at the ends, which was near his ears. His emerald green eyes went nicely with his shirt which made them stand out. Amy smiled at him out of pure instinct.

"This is Ty, he's a Junior too." Amy nodded at him, still smiling.

"Nice to meet you." Ty was staring right at her, his eyes uninviting and slightly cold, unlike everyone else. He nodded stiffly at her, his jaw clenched. _Well then_, Amy thought, _nice to meet you too, buddy._

Jake noticed this and moved on, pointing at the two tallest guys, easily over six foot, and they smiled. "This is Gabe and Gideon, but you can call him Gid. Gabe lives in town, he goes to college there, while Gid lives here. He's taking a year off because he wants to regroup before college. So he still lives here" Gabe was the stockier of the boys, athletic, but a little more buff and intimidating than the others. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes that seemed warm. Gid looked much like him but his hair was longer, he was slightly shorter, and he was much more lean.

"Good job given' the girl our whole life story, Jake." That was Ty. His voice was surprisingly low and even. Soft, if he didn't try so hard to sound tough.

Jake looked back at him and glared, "Screw you Ty, she's new." Ty just smiled meanly and as I watched him his eyes flicked to mine and I flinched away.

Jake turned away and kept going. The next was a little boy who looked to be about eleven. "This is Frankie, the runt of the family. He's in sixth grade." Then there was the last boy. But certainly not least. He was as tall as Ty, who was about 6" maybe a little more, with wavy dirty blonde hair and warm blue eyes. He stood next to Ty, which made him the one who was one of the buffer ones, him or Ty. "This is Ian, he's a senior."

_Wow, he really knows how to get a girl excited_, Amy thought. Although, she had thought the same with Ty and he had turned out to be an asshole. So maybe Ian was different.

"Hey, good to meet you." Oh, he was different alright, and his hand in Amy's made a shiver go down her spine.

"You too." She let go of his hand and looked around at everyone. They were all quiet for a second then Lily spoke up.

"Well, lets get your bags Amy and I'll show you your room." Amy saw Ty roll his eyes at this and apparently so did Lily because she put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ty, help her to her room." Ty looked slightly put off and looked like he was about to say something but then shrugged. He walked past Amy and towards the Jeep. Amy followed and caught up with him as he was opening the way back.

"Hey, thanks for helping." Ty looked at her as he hefted her two large suitcases out of the back, leaving her with her two small ones and her duffel bag. Ty situated the two suitcases and grabbed the duffel bag as well.

"Whatever." He replied as he headed off towards the side door. She picked up her two suitcases, shut the back, and followed. When she stepped into the house she saw what Lily meant about being messy, but it was still beautiful. All the floors and stairs were a dark oak wood. The rooms, she noticed, each had a different color. The foyer was a light golden color, the living room a dark maroon color, and she only barely saw the kitchen as she walked up the stairs, and it was an eggshell blue color.

They turned to the right at the top of the stairs and then took another right. He walked towards the last door on the left and opened it. This room was a light green color and had a full size bed with a light blue quilt and a white rug. There was also a wood vanity and dresser along the far wall. The room smelled faintly of paint and Amy knew they had redecorated for her.

Ty set down the suitcases and turned to leave, with one last glare at her, when Amy stopped him.

"Look, did I do anything to upset you?" He stopped at the doorframe and turned his head slightly to show he had heard her. "I mean, you seem to not like me."

For a second he fingered the doorframe, his fingers running along one spot, before he turned and began to walk away again. "No."

Amy went to walk after him but her eye was caught by the spot Ty had been rubbing on the doorframe. It was a carved line with the number 16 carved next to it. She lowered her eyes and saw that there was a line for each number all the way down to the number one. Under that, in bold letters, was Ty's named, carved with a slight swirl on the T.

This had been his room, it had meant something to him obviously. And she had taken it.

**Note:** Bye everyone for a while, review!!!!!!!!!


	3. Don't Take Me For Granted

_Okay, just so it's clear, I happen to have changed Ty's parents names..I always do. I don't know why. So, yes, I know Ty's dads name is Brad, but I named him Mark. Also, I know I said I wasn't going to update, and I didn't lie, I just happened to come into some time to write today, since plans fell through because family is coming up later on. So yeah, here is your guys' Christmas present._

_**Three Days Later: August 31st**_

Amy cringed at the towels laying scattered across the bathroom floor and nudged one tentatively away with her toe. When it was safely out of view she stepped over to the shower and ran the water. When she got the right temperature she cupped some in her hands and slashed it across the walls a few times to wash away any stray hairs. When that was done she pulled out her soap and shampoo from in her bathroom bag and turned the shower on.

Amy had come to learn that safer was better than sorry. The first day she had woken up and seen the shower she had actually gagged. Now, it wasn't like hairs were covering the shower like a second skin, no it wasn't that bad, but to her it was horrible. She had used her own bathroom back home and it had been clean and tidy. She, personally, did not take hygiene lightly. So she had come into a system, out of sight...out of mind. So she barely looked at the bathroom before kicking things into a corner or picking them up with the tips of her fingers and depositing them into the dirty basket. The hair ritual was the most important though. Although there were only some hairs on the walls, and a few in the tub, they disgusted her. She had asked Lily about them and she said the guys shaved in there. How. Gross.

So Amy learned to keep her own soap and _never_ take a bath. She showered quickly, dried off, put on a pair of old worn out jeans, and her favorite t-shirt that read 'your village called, they want their idiot back.', threw up her long hair in a wet ponytail, and hightailed it out of that bathroom.

It was only one day till school started, and Amy was positively freaked. She had gone out the day before with Lily to the mall and bought some new clothes with the money her parents had left her and had been twiddling her thumbs all day. She had tried to stay in her room to keep busy, but no one was home (they had all gone to the mall with Mark...apparently Lily couldn't deal with them...and she was at work). When she walked out of the bathroom she glanced to the right, towards her room, and to the left, down the stairs. She prioritized t.v over counting the stars on her ceiling, and headed down the stairs.

When she reached the living room, all good and ready to heave herself onto the couch and channel serf for a while, a light scream erupted from her throat as she almost sat on someone before grabbing the arm of the couch and staying up right.

"Holy hell, what are you doing?!" Amy held a hand up to her chest as her heart steadied from her mild heart attack. Ty sat, looking smug and not moved in the least, on the couch with his body spread out from end to end. Amy looked over at the t.v, which was off, and back at him.

"Are you going to answer me?" Ty quirked an eyebrow.

"Is it really any of your business? I mean...it's my house." Amy got the point and sat straight on his knees in anger, making him flinch in pain as his knees went down, straining his legs.

"What the fuck, get off!" Ty tried in vain to push her off of his now pained knees.

"No. I didn't appreciate that statement. Look, I get that this is _your_ house, but I happen to be living here and I don't have any plans of leaving. So either you get used to it or don't talk to me at all, do you get me?" Over the past four days she had been here Amy had been nothing but civil towards Ty, and in return all he had done was make fun of her and laugh about her behind her back. She knew because Ian's room was right next to hers and the walls were thin there.

"I can do whatever I God damn please, now _get off_!" With his last two words Ty punctuated them with great big shoves, and Amy slid down to his ankles. She crossed her legs indian style and didn't move.

"Look, I understand perfectly well that you dislike me, and truthfully your not ranking very high in my book either," she saw him roll his eyes, "but I'm here, and so are you. So how about we agree to disagree until I go home, okay?" She kept her eyes on her sock covered foot, waiting for his answer, for some reason not able to meet his eyes.

His voice was low when he answered, not supposed to be heard, but Amy's ears caught every word. "What home?" She raised her eyes and they met the t.v that was straight in front of her. Excruciatingly slowly she turned her head towards him and met his gaze. Her eyes blazed and she automatically felt tears of anger rising onto her lids. She stood up and looked down at him, lips pulled taught against her face.

"Fuck. You." She held his eyes for a moment longer than necessary, communicating her anger towards him, before walking towards the living room door. She had planned on going up to her room, but she felt his eyes watching her walk away and couldn't let him watch her leave. She would _not_ let him feel as though he had hurt her.

She turned around and saw the look of surprise on his face. He hadn't expected her to retaliate.

"You know, it's really quite pathetic that you get some kind of sick thrill out of hurting people. I mean, what kind of person shuns someone because she took his _room_. I didn't know I was such an intrusion on your precious life. But like I said before, I'm not leaving, I'm here and whether you like it or not you're going to have to deal with it. So get over that big head of yours and grow the fuck up." This time when she walked away she felt satisfied. She hadn't let him get the better of her and she knew he knew it.

_**The Next Day: September 1st** _

When Amy walked through the doors of Easton High, she knew it wouldn't be as hard as she had imagined to fit in. Easton, Virginia was an abnormally small town. The population wasn't even 400 people, and her junior class consisted of only eighty students. The High School was small and all together there were about 230 kids, the Junior class being the majority. Although, she now added one more to the count for Juniors. It was now eighty-one.

"So, you gonna be okay?" Ian looked down at Amy and smiled, at which point Amy completely melted down to join to wooden floors (they hadn't even upgraded to tiles!).

"Uh, yeah I think I will be. I just need to find the main office and I'll be fine." Ian's smile became even wider as he pointed right in front of her where a large sign hung over a door and read 'Main Office'.

"Oh, thanks." Amy's cheeks colored significantly and she hurried towards the door with only a fast wave of her hand. "Bye!"

When she stepped into the office she smiled slightly. She was becoming used to the way things ran in Easton, and was beginning to like it. She had never lived in a small town and things such as only one traffic light on main street, a mall over forty-five minutes away, and everyone knowing everyone was slightly...refreshing. She had also become familiar with the warm smiles of strangers and their welcoming eyes as she studied the way they moved slower than most people and their close knit society.

The main office was no different. The women behind the desk was a thin women with thick blond hair and spectacles far too large for her petite frame. As Amy walked in she saw a smile was on her face even before she looked up. Her eyes looked slightly confused, obviously not recognizing her, but her smile grew even more inviting at the prospect of a new person.

"Why hello." She sat straight up in her chair and quirked her head to the side slightly. "What may I do for you?" Amy was surprised at her thick southern accent and realized she must not be originally from here.

"I'm new." Amy stated the obvious and the only reason she wasn't mortified was because this women's laugh was so enchanting. So...understanding and welcoming.

"I can see that. Where are you from, darlin'?" Amy smiled and instantly decided she liked it here.

"I'm from Virginia, but about an hour and a half away from Easton." The women nodded and then her eyes grew wide.

"You're that girl who's living with the Baldwin's, isn't that right?" Amy nodded and the woman laughed.

"Well, ain't you just a pretty little thang!" She studied her up and down. "I met your momma one time, when she came visitin'. You were only a little girl, about five, and you tugged and tugged my skirts until I finally twirled you 'round like I'd been doing with my little girl when you walked up."

"Really? I'm sorry, I don't remember that." Amy wondered how in the world she had forgotten this woman.

"Oh, don't fret, you were barely wet behind the ears. Oh, but my little girl, you should meet her! She's your age, I believe!" She went to pick up the phone but Amy stopped her.

"No, that's okay, really. I'm sure I'll meet her, but I don't want her to have to come down here."

"Oh, but you need someone to show you around anyhow. She'd be delighted to do it." She tapped her fingers on the phone and waited until someone picked up.

"Marlene? How are you? Great, great. Well, I was wonderin' if you could send my daughter down to the office." She paused and smiled encouragingly up at Amy. "Oh, well you know the Baldwin's girl? Yeah, she's here." She twirled the wire around her small fingers, listening. "Oh, she's absolutely a dream, and I thought my little girl could show her around. Yes, thank you!"

The woman looked up at her and smiled, "So what was your name again? It's slipped my mind since I last saw you."

"Amy Fleming. What about you?" She smiled and sat in the chair in front of the desk.

"Oh, I'm Caroline Sanders, but everyone calls me Ms. Caroline." She looked over at a door to her right and then looked back at her. "You should probably see Mr. Welles before you get the grand tour. He's the principal and by the time you're done I'll have your schedule all good and ready for you. Just go on it, I'm sure he's expectin' you."

Amy nodded and hesitantly knocked on the door. A voice called for her to come in and she walked into the room. Inside was walls lined with class photos of over ten years and a large man sitting behind a desk.

"Hello, Miss. Fleming I presume." Amy nodded and sat in the chair he waved his hand at. "I'm Mr. Welles, the principal here. I just like to greet new students and say welcome." He smiled a warm smile at her, "Welcome."

"Thank you, I think I'm going to like it here." She smiled back and he did too.

"Well, I don't have anything else to say, I just wanted you to know that my door is always open and so is Mrs. Carter's, the counselor. Her office is right down the hall."

A few minutes later after some casual chatter, Amy went back out into the main office. There, standing in front of Ms. Caroline's desk was a girl. She was Amy's height, 5'7'', with long curly blonde hair. Black slacks were slung around her slim waist and a button up white shirt with a light pink v-neck sweater over it covered her torso. She appeared to be cool and collected, casual yet sophisticated, and totally at ease with herself.

Amy was taken aback, feeling totally at odds in her new jeans and t-shirt, when the girl turned to her. Amy expected a haughty hello and some rude looks, but what she got was a warm smile.

"Hello!" The girl walked towards he and shook Amy's hand. "I'm Loretta Sanders, but everyone calles me Elle."

"I'm Amy, nice to meet you." Elle smiled and waved at her mother. "My mom told me I'm supposed to show you around and she gave me your schedule." She proceeded to hand her a sheet of paper, which Amy barely looked at, she was too awed with this girl. "We actually have a few periods together, including first, so I guess we'll just go there and I'll show you to your other classes after that, is that all right?"

"Yeah, that great." Amy replied, looking down at her schedule. She had Current Events first.

"Good, lets go." Elle walked out the door and held it open for Amy and they walked to class.

_Review pleeassseee! I want many by January:)_


	4. Crash Course in Polite Conversations

_Okay, so I am never again saying that I'm not going to update until January because I would probably just be lying. I mean, I really planned on it, but it just didn't work out. I was supposed to babysit my nephews today but my sister had to take them somewhere, so now I can write. So, I won't say goodbye till January but I'm not promising that it won't be till January from now on._

**_Same Day: September 1st_**

Elle walked Amy up to the desk situated at the front of the room and when Amy stood sideways towards the room, expecting that she had to talk to the teacher, Elle gently turned her forward. Amy's cheeks reddened but noone seemed to notice, that she could see.

"Everyone, this is Amy Fleming. She's the girl that just moved in with the Baldwin's." Just as she was saying this the door to the room opened and Ty walked in, looking as though he thought he was right on time and not almost ten minutes late."Speaking of." Elle flashed Ty a sarcastic smile and waved.

"Hello Ty, nice of you to join us." She has a scowl on her face but replaced it with a smile as a women in the back of the room stood up and Amy realized it was the teacher.

"Ty, see me after class." She walked forward and shook Amy's hand. "Why hello, I'm Mrs. Martin, it's so nice to meet you. Just take a seat anywhere, though I warn you that the seat you choose is your seat everyday. I don't change then unless people begin to talk excessively." Amy thanked her and looked around the room. Elle had taken a seat in the third row, five seats back and there were no open seats around her. Elle saw her looking and glanced around, looking apologetic as she realized there were no empty seats near her. Amy smiled slightly and looked towards the far corner where there were two empty seats...right next to Ty. He sat in the corner and to his left were two empty seats and then there were more students. Amy walked towards him and sat down, leaving a desk in between them.

"I'm sorry about the seat, I didn't even realize until after I sat down." Elle fell into step with Amy as they left Current Events.

"No problem, I don't expect anything from you, you've been great." Amy adjusted her straps on her book bag before digging out her schedule from inside her pocket. She had math, chemistry, gym, and then french. She looked at Elle and waved her schedule with a slight smile.

"Oh, right." Elle took the sheet and looked down at it, stopping at an intersection in the halls. "Oh, well you have math right now and I have gym, so if you go down this hall and then turn right your math class is the second door on the left, okay?" Elle pointed and Amy followed her finger and nodded. "I'll meet you at your math class after and show you to chemistry, my class is right next to yours anyway."

They split up and Amy walked to her math class. She met her teacher, Mrs. Lewis, a short women with wispy hair, and got assigned a seat and at this point only three people had entered the classroom. She sat down, got out a notebook and pen, and waited patiently for the bell. About two minutes later it rung and a throng of people entered the room all at once, including, once again, Ty. She saw him notice her and could have sworn she saw a little grin, but excused it as a trick of the light and turned her head forward as Mrs. Lewis introduced herself.

"Was Mrs. Lewis hell?" Elle pulled Amy to the side of the door as she exited math.

"Uh, no. Why?" Amy had actually liked the math teacher and was truly curious as to why Elle assumed otherwise.

"Hm, maybe she finally found someone who would put up with her and her rat face." This came from a pretty brunette that walked next to Elle as they walked down the hall.

Elle smiled slightly and pointed at the girl, "This is Stacy. She has it out for Mrs. Lewis. See, she's always been a total bitch and gave Stacy over ten detentions last year, and she's mad, even though she deserved over half of them."

"I so did not deserve them! I mean, you saw how she spoke to me." Stacy was a dramatic talker who used her hands, which made Amy smile.

"Stace, she asked to see your homework one time and you screamed at her to step outside the box in which 'all teachers play around and are too scared to step out of for fear of the district'. All that, _just_ because you didn't do your homework." Stacy looked shocked and then looked at Amy.

"Is it so much to ask that once in a while a teacher will go beyond the norm and not ask for homework. I mean, give us a break, you know? We work our ass' of for them and they never give us a break. Personally I think we are well beyond due for a massive homework strike."

Amy was about to speak when Elle jumped in, "Amy, don't listen to her. She's just trying to justify never doing her homework. And yet, she never fails." She looked over at Stacy in mock curiosity, "I wonder why that is?"

"It has absolutely nothing to do with a genius boyfriend who is totally against cheating but loves his girlfriend too much to let her fail. I mean, what gave you that idea?" She raised her arms in the air and walked backwards, away from them. "People these days!"

Elle laughed and led Amy down the hall. "So, that was Stacy. She's a great girl, just a little, crazy sometimes."

"I saw." Elle laughed and pushed Amy into a room while she went to the one next to it.

By the time lunch came around, right after sixth period, Amy had already had four classes with Ty. Current Events, math, chemistry, and art. In art she was assigned to sit right next to him and he had given her the cold shoulder the whole time. She was thoroughly exhausted when she stepped into the small cafeteria, but was relieved when Elle waved her over to a table that had ten people sitting at it. Six girls and four boys.

"Hey, everyone this is Amy. Amy this is Stacy, you know her, Sarah, Kasey, Amanda, and Jayme, or Jay, as we call her. The boys are Jacob, Pat, Dominic, and Zeek."

Lunch went smoothly and Amy found she really liked Elle's group of friends and was grateful that they seemed to like her also. When the bell rung Amy was really surprised because it had seemed to pass so fast. She scrambled for her schedule and looked at what she had next. Study hall then english.

"Hey, I have the same thing as you now, for the rest of the day, come on." Stacy had obviously read over her shoulder and Amy didn't even mind as she dragged her out of the cafeteria.

"So, you like it here so far?" Stacy asked Amy as they walked down the hall.

"Yeah, its great!" Amy answered, shrieking the word 'great' as Stacy pulled her into a room.

"That's good. Do you want to sit here?" She pointed at a table in the back of the room and Amy just nodded.

They were silent for a few moments before Stacy turned to her. "So, and I'm being serious, do you think I deserved that detention?" Amy laughed and jumped into the conversation, loving it.

Amy was the first one home, having ridden the bus since Ian had football tryouts, and she headed straight for the kitchen. She rummaged through the cram packed pantry for a snack. She decided on a granola bar and a juice box and then she headed up to her room, practically running into Ty as she turned down the hall. She teetered on the heels of her feet and Ty caught her right hand and clenched his hand lightly over her left biceps, keeping her standing. When she was stable he took a second before removing his hands.

"You okay?" He asked, not seeming like he cared, but asking anyway. Amy though maybe they were making progress.

"Y-yeah." She stuttered, still winded from the collision, and truthfully, from him speaking with something other than disgust in his voice. She watched, stunned, as he nodded and walked past her, brushing his shoulder with hers.

_Yeah, short, I know, but a chapter none the less. Reviiiiew everyone, please._


	5. Off The Beaten Path

_Ahhh, my Christmas present to you all:) So, I need to go to bed early tonight, because tomorrow I am going to NYC with my friend, but its only like 6:30 and even for me, thats wayyy to early. Even if I have to get up at 3a.m, noone will ever get me into bed before at LEAST 8:30. So right now I am really hyped and need something to occupy my time, so...VOILA!! Also, Amy's Birthday is different, I made it that way:)_

**_Almost five months later: January 13th _**

Amy sat, hands politely in her lap, as the middle aged man in front of her spoke. He was, she guessed, in his late thirties and had slightly gray temple hair and kind eyes. He kept moving his hands as he spoke, illustrating his point, and Amy found herself nothing less than intrigued.

"He's gonna poke an eye out if he doesn't stop swinging his hands around like that." Amy was startled slightly and turned towards Stacy who was leaning towards her, whispering. When she realized what she had said Amy felt defensive, this man was animated but not necessarily goofy.

"I think it just enhances what he's saying." Amy thought that she had explained it quite well but judging by the look on Stacy's face, she hadn't.

"Amy, for goodness sake, the man is rattling on and on about some school noone has ever heard of before, I mean, who wants to attend that?" She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as dramatic affect and Amy just shook her head. This man, his name she had forgotten, was there to inform the kids of Easton High about the college he taught at. He was an instructor and was there to promote it and teach everyone about what sort of curriculum was given. He wanted to get a head start on giving us all ideas before the true college rush hit us the next year. He was also letting students join up for a weekend long visit to the campus, located in New York, so that anyone interested could get a first hand view of the town. Amy, actually, was very intrigued in the Veterinary Program and also the Photography Program. She knew she wanted to deal with horse for a living, as a vet preferably, but she would also like to minor in her second love...photography.

"I'm considering it." Amy said deftly, looking away from Stacy and concentrating on the man speaking. Amy knew she had stunned Stacy when there was a long pause where, usually, long pauses are never associated with Stacy...she always has something to say.

"Are you serious?" She was even more surprised when this was Elle talking, beating Stacy to the punch.

"Um," She paused, thinking it over. Was she serious? Yes, she figured, yes she was serious. She wanted to attend college and this school was the first to hit her radar, so why not check it out a little more before pushing it under the rug? She paused after her very intelligent _um_ and signed a sheet that was getting passed around to sign up for the weekend trip and, with a flourish, signed her name. "I guess I am."

Elle glanced down at the sheet as Amy passed it to her, expecting her to pass it to the next table, but instead she too signed her name. She didn't even explain to the open mouthed Amy or the wide eyed Stacy as she passed the sheet to her, who didn't even moved, just kept staring.

"Elle, what about Harvard, Yale, and Princeton?!" Stacy's eyes darted down to make sure Elle's name was there, and it was.

"What about them?" Elle was concentrating on the man more intently now and shrugged her shoulders. "They're still options but why just stop with those? There are so many colleges Stace, how can I be sure that I'm meant for an Ivy League school and not this one?"

Stacy just looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "Uh, your GPA says that you're meant for an Ivy League school you psycho!" When Elle just glared at her and told her to pass the sheet on and stop holding up other people, Stacy signed the sheet, to the surprise of Amy, and passed it on.

"I can't believe I just signed up for that thing. A total waste of a perfectly good weekend if you ask me." Stacy muttered, thoroughly agitated.

"Noone did, and you didn't have to sign up, Amy and I were perfectly all right with you not going." Elle seemed vexed and Amy smiled, knowing Stacy had signed up because she didn't want to be left out on a weekend jaunt, whether educational or not.

"Hey, for all I know, there are some good stores there to shop at." Amy doubted they would have much free time to even shop, but she let Stacy continue to think that and returned her attention back to the man speaking.

_**Same day: 4pm**_

Amy tugged on a pair of old worn jeans, a snug t-shirt, a brown zip-up hoodie, and a large winter coat, throwing her school clothes down a shoot that led to the basement. She also kicked her Mary-Janes into a corner and slipped into her old Puma's and began to tie them up. When she was done she glanced in the mirror and swept her hair up into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck and then let if fall any which way.

"Amy, can I come in?" Amy sighed, annoyed, but opened the door to let in Lily. "Hey, you changed." She stated, glancing her up and down with quizzical eyes.

"Uh, yeah, I'm going out for a little." Lily lifted her eyes as if to say _Oh, are you?!_

"Where, exactly, are you going?" Lily seemed a little perturbed about something and Amy just shrugged.

"Mark said there was a few more hours of light and I though I'd go exploring a bit, maybe take a few pictures. I've been meaning to since I got here but I've been too busy."Lily nodded, her face softening, and smiled.

"Oh, well sure, okay." She seemed lost for a second and then sighed. "Well I guess I'll let you go then, try and be home by seven-ish, for dinner, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem." Lily left with a little wave and Amy sighed in relief. She snatched up her camera that she had gotten for Christmas only last year and headed out the door. She trotted down the steps and nearly ran into Ty as he stepped in front of the steps as she barreled down them.

"Watch out!" Amy snapped, not able to put up with him right not. Last time they'd bumped into each other Amy had thought they were making progress but was soon proved wrong because ever since he was a total ass...and he knew it.

Not in the least moved Ty looked down and saw the camera. "Where are you going?" He didn't seemed interested or worried or curious, he just sounded like he was wasting time. Amy rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

"Mind your own business." She slammed the door and huffed and puffed as she headed towards the trial Mark had insisted she go on. Ty always thought he was so superior and had a right to know every little small detail of her life and really didn't appreciate it, let alone care to inform him of_ anything_ pertaining to her personal business. For the past month he had glared, made fun of, laughed at, ridiculed, and embarrassed Amy to no end, and he thought she was actually going to talk to him now, oh no, not after the last time she'd tried that.

_**Flashback: One month ago: December 20th: Amy's Birthday**:** 8:30pm**_

_Amy was brushing her hair, getting ready for her night out, when she heard a knock on the door. She smiled, just thinking that this was the first time anyone had ever knocked on her door since she was seventeen, and she skipped over to open it._

"_Bonjour Mademoiselle." Ian stood in the doorway, smiling down at Amy and she instantly curtsied to him._

"_Bonjour Monsieur." There was a second of silence before they both laughed and Amy's heart soared dangerously high. She thought this a little weird but pushed that thought out of her mind...it was just Ian._

"_So, again, Happy Birthday!" Amy giggled like a little school girl and bit her lip._

"_Thanks, I can't believe I'm already seventeen." She then twirled, on instinct, and looked over at him. "How do I look?" She was wearing a beautiful cocktail dress that went only slightly past her knees. The fabric was soft and silky against her skin as it contoured to her curves and enhanced the deep richness of her bronzed skin. She was scared as to what everyone would think, and decided Ian was a good first impression, if anyone._

_She blushed slightly as she saw him thoroughly scan her body, lingering on her long tapering legs that were slipped, quite comfortably, into strappy black heels that made her legs go on forever. Tonight was her party that her parents had thrown for her from across the world. Last year, on her sweet 16, Amy was left without a party due to the fact that there was an emergency at one of the England stables and they had to fly there to deal with it and the issue never came back up. In apology her parents had payed to rent out a hotels, that was nearby, ball room and for all the decorations and a DJ to make up for her sweet 16 party being forgotten. She had protested at first but given in at the thought of all her new friends, and a few old, all in one place and having a good time. Plus, a new dress wasn't bad either._

_Now, though, she was reconsidering the dress she had picked. She knew she looked good in it, even if Ian's appreciative face didn't give that away. But the dress coupled with her long spirally hair floating down her back, makeup enhancing her eyes, and the heels elongating her legs...well, it may have been too much._

"_You look gorgeous." Ian's statement was simple but his eyes connected with hers and she felt her heart flip inside her chest._

"_Thanks." She was now embarrassed and slipped past him. "We better go, everyone's waiting."_

_**3 ½ hours later: 11pm**_

_Amy stepped off the dance floor and leaned against the (non) alcoholic bar and tried to catch her breath. She had been dancing on and off for the past two hours and had finally extracted herself from Elle and Stacy's clutches, not to mention the fingers of Soraya, her best friend who had driven down for the occasion. Soraya was getting on great with her new friends and hadn't worried about stepping away, so she had._

_The room was great. Nearly the whole school was there, save most of the Freshman and Sophomores, and over twenty kids from her old school. All in all there was over a hundred people and Amy hadn't expected that many. Sure she had been hanging out with Elle and her friends and had befriended most everyone here, but some people had taken advantage of the party and just came for the hell of it, but she didn't mind, she was having a great time. _

_Although, the amount of people was stuffing up the room and Amy found it hard to catch her breath even off the dance floor. She held a hand to her chest, grabbed her pea coat off a hook by the door, and went towards the terrace doors that were to her right. She stepped out and caught her breath. Nothing had been done to the terrace for her birthday but it was beautiful anyway. It was large with a water fountain in the middle and lights brightening the water as it glistened and fell. There was a garden beyond the terrace that had paths throughout it for the guests to walk through and sit among the flowers. Amy felt drawn to it and her heels tapped against cobblestone as she walked to the far end of the garden and that was when she saw Ty sitting on a bench among iris' She hesitated before taking a deep breath and walking straight up to him and sitting down._

"_Hey." She knew he had only come to her party through force, but still, she decided to overlook that fact._

"_Hey." He glanced at her dress and legs, smirked and turned away. "Happy Birthday."_

"_Thanks. So..." She paused, knowing the conversation was awkward. They didn't talk, it wasn't their thing. "Why aren't you in there?" She glanced pointedly at the party and he lifted his head to stare at the closed french doors and the shimmering lights beyond them._

"_I felt suffocated." Amy smiled and took a deep breath of the night air. _

"_Me too." Ty looked over at her, surprised. _

"_Really? I saw you dancing, I thought you were in your element." Amy blushed under his gaze and stared into his eyes._

"_Party's are fun, on occasion, but I prefer this." She glanced around the garden and looked back at him. "It's beautiful out here." Ty didn't say anything, just kept looking at her and she blushed under his gaze. This was the first decent conversation they'd had since she'd arrived there and she thought maybe, just maybe, it was the season. Winter...Christmas._

"_Yeah, it is." He looked down at her heel clad feet and look up at her, his eyes warm. They surprised her and made her heart flip and soar at the same time, so unlike what had happened with Ian. "You look beautiful too."_

"_Oh..um...thank you." Amy stuttered, flabbergasted. Her surprise must have seemed that his comment was unwelcome, which it was the total opposite, and Ty flinched and his eyes hardened. He cleared his throat and stood._

"_I have to go." Amy stood to stop him, reaching for his arm, and he pulled away, walking off._

_For weeks after Ty had ignored her and been especially rude and Amy had pushed that night out of her mind and realized that Ty was just weak at that moment, for some reason, and he hadn't meant what he'd said. Otherwise, why'd he walk away?_

_**Present Day**_

Amy groaned at the memory and mentally slapped herself for remembering it. She had very nearly forgotten it completely. But what had just happened bothered her to no end. Ty had no business asking her questions when he had ignored her thoroughly for almost a month.

Amy didn't realize it but she had strayed off the beaten path and had wandered into the woods, losing sight of the trail. She turned round, frightened, and began to get really scared. She kept walking in a random direction and it started to become darker and she guessed that an hour, at most, had passed. Finally she stepped around a tree and she felt a hand grasp her arm and she screamed in terror.

_Review pllllllllllllllease!_


	6. Surprise, Surprise

_So, I guess I have nothing to do and I guess I'm writing a chapter. Now I am absolutely one HUNDRED percent not positive this will be the last chapter before Christmas:) I'm not sure, but I MIGHT have time tomorrow, if I don't, then I am 100 percent positive this is the last one before Christmas. So...Happy Holidays, everyone!_

Same Day

Amy didn't realize it but she had strayed off the beaten path and had wandered into the woods, losing sight of the trail. She turned round, frightened, and began to get really scared. She kept walking in a random direction and it started to become darker and she guessed that an hour, at most, had passed. Finally she stepped around a tree and she felt a hand grasp her arm and she screamed in terror.

Amy turned quickly around and sagged against the tree behind her as she saw whose hand had wrapped around her arm.

"Are you_ trying_ to kill me?" Amy shouted. She had been frightened but now only anger resided in her body. "You don't just sneak up on someone like that!"

Ty looked down at her and Amy blanched at his glare. "You'll get over it."

"You're mental." Amy seethed up at him and strode past him, thinking he had come from the paths direction. She stomped her way through the snow and paid no attention whatsoever to what Ty was doing. She had walked only twenty feet away when she stepped out into a small pasture. She looked around in awe at the nearly snow-less ground and the trees overhead that held the snow back. It was like a little spot of seclusion and Amy couldn't help but stop mid-step and just gaze upwards at the trees.

When Amy realized Ty had stepped out from the trees and was standing next to her she sidestepped away and began to walk around the little pasture.

"You're being immature." Ty had taken a seat on a rock situated almost directly in the middle of the small clearing. When Amy heard his voice she didn't so much as blink an eye, just kept walking. When the silence became too much and Amy had walked the circumference of the circle, she stopped in front of him.

"If you would kindly not talk to me I would be very grateful." She meant to leave the clearing and walk dramatically out, but she felt drawn to the trees and took up her camera in her hands and began to take a few pictures. Ty, not even a whole minute after she had asked him not to, spoke.

"Do you actually think I'm going to follow your orders?" Amy rolled her eyes as she dropped to her knees to take a picture from below of the trees.

"No, I admit, I never really believed you would. But miracles happen, right?" Amy had no clue how she was staying so calm and actually replying to his question without screaming at him. After everything he'd done, including putting little Frankie up to ransacking her closet and stringing her panties along a rope and hanging them up around the tree like Christmas lights, she had more than enough reasons to deck him or scream at him, or do any number of ninja like moves on him. But, despite all that, her voice was calm and even and, truthfully, she'd had enough of him. She'd had enough of hating him, liking him, trying to befriend him, and trying to ignore him. She had just mentally decided to...deal with him.

"Not with me." Amy glanced at him and saw that he was studying a leaf in his hand.

"I doubt that, everyone has some sort of miracle happen to them." She laid down on her back on the cold, hard ground and began shooting pictures.

"No, I've never had any miracles happen to me." Amy smiled slightly at his tone of voice and then focused on finding the right position for a picture of a pine cone perched precariously on a branch above her.

"Well, being born was a miracle." Ty snorted. "Fine, being born aside, have you ever..." She paused to think of a significant miracle. "been in love?" She expected a quick answer, a yes or a no, but all she got was silence. After a moment she turned her head slightly to the right to look at him and saw that he was staring at her.

"What kind of question is that?" His voice wasn't rough or guarded like usual, but oddly, soft.

"A fair one. You said you had never experienced a miracle, but I consider love a miracle. Therefore, if you've been in love, you've been part of a miracle." Ty continued to stare at her and then he looked back down at the leaf in his hand. He traced the outer edge of the leaf and then his gaze slowly settled on her, laying on her back on the ground, and Amy's stomach clenched together. She had no clue why she reacted this way to those emerald eyes penetrating her vision, but she did.

"No, I haven't been in love." His eyes still held hers steady, seemingly reaching into her. "Not yet, anyway." His voice was like velvet and Amy found her eyes fixating on his and she willed herself not to blink, not to ruin this feeling. Albeit, she had no clue what the feeling was at that time, but it didn't matter to her. It felt better than coming into a warm house after being in the cold for an hour. It was better then the feeling of finally laying down in bed after standing up and working all day. It even felt better than that time, only a few weeks before, when Ian had brushed a piece of hair off her face and behind her ear. Her stomach had turned inside her that time, but now, now her stomach had condensed into a little ball and was bouncing around like it was part of a ping pong game...and it felt good.

She didn't break the gaze, but instead slowly smiled. She didn't know where the words came from, or how they even exited her mouth, but they did. "Oh, don't worry, you will."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

****

Five days later: January 18th: Wednesday (it was a Friday before)

Amy practically ran out of her room the next morning, her lips formed into a huge smile. She had just realized that it was a snow day, after having already taken a shower (_of course_), and was almost positive none of the boys would have even thought to check their televisions for the school report, if any of them were even up. She made it a habit to be the first one in the shower, lest one of them decides to shave. Obviously, the duty fell upon her to tell them all that all their dreams had come true, they could sleep in.

She went first into little Frankie's room, tip-toeing cautiously up to his bed and tickling her fingers lightly up his sides. He burst out laughing before he even opened his eyes.

"Hey buster, the girls are going to have to deal without the sight of you today, it's a snow day!" Frankie smiled brightly and did a little jig that consisted of his fingers poking up and down.

After he was done he became very serious. "I don't know if the girls can stand it. I mean, I'm the only thing that keeps them going." Amy laughed and poked his sides.

"I'm sure the girls won't mind keeping some of their drool inside them for a day." He laughed and turned over, muttering a thank you, and went back to bed. Amy smiled and walked back out into the hall.

The next door was Jake and Mike's room. They had shared a room since Mike gave up his to Ty when Amy had come to live with them. She walked in slowly, making sure clothes were secured around their bodies, and then glanced around their room. She had never really been in here and upon seeing a keyboard near the window she nearly ran to it.

She turned it on and, making up her own rhythm, sang. "Snow day, snow day, can't live without my snow day." She laughed when the twins shot up at the exact same time and both covered their ears.

"What the hell?!" They both screamed at the same time, only proving more the fact that they were twins.

"Snow day, go back to bed." They groaned as she skipped out of the room, decided that she liked snow days.

Next on her torture list was Ian. Her throat clenched as she opened the door. She wasn't sure if any of the boys slept, well, nude. She had lucked out so far, but Ian seemed to be pretty open, so she was cautious as she slipped into his dark room. She had to squint to see him, but sighed when she saw a shirt on his body. Then her mind turned to torture. She thought about jumping on him, but decided she'd leave that one for Ty. So she walked towards him, grasped his cover in her hands, and then whipped them off him. She laughed as he curled into the fetal position, looked up at her, and groaned.

"Amy, what the fuck are you doing?" Ian practically whispered. Amy didn't take the swear word personally, she knew she'd be angry too if this happened to her.

"Oh, just thought you'd like to know it was a snow day." She gently threw the covers back over him, smiled, and sauntered out of the room.

Now, what she'd been waiting for. Every since the previous Friday Amy had been extra sensitive towards Ty. He had actually smiled at her several times in school and, while he hadn't actually spoken to her, he had asked for the mashed potatoes at dinner the night before. If that wasn't progress, what was?

She had no clue why she felt the need to watch him and try and talk to him and be nice to him. It just figured. Every time she was mad at him something happened and she found herself going out of her way to be nice to him. She was mental, that's what she was. It's just, the way he made her feel made the possibility of them being friends such a...well, possibility.

So she opened the door and was determined to make sure that this was a step taken towards them becoming friends. His room, also, was very dark. She didn't see any covers on window, which was why his was lighter than Ian's room, but still it took a second for her eyes to adjust.

When it did she instantly smiled at the sight of Ty laying in bed. He was in a wife beater with the covers over the rest of him, and he was laying on his back, one hand under his pillow and his head tilted towards the left.

It took her a moment to focus herself and then she tip-toed over towards him. She nimbly stepped onto his bed, barely moving it, and put one foot on either side of his waist before slowly lowering herself onto his abdomen. She did it lightly but she still felt his intake of breath at her weight. He didn't wake up instantly, but his head turned as if to look at her, but his eyes remained closed. She took her two pointer fingers and poked up his chest and then his cheeks. Finally his eyes opened and they focused directly on her.

"Amy?" He seemed disoriented and she laughed, leaning her head back and giggling.

"Ty?" She poked his chest, still chuckling lightly, and lost her smile when Ty grasped her thighs where they were pinning his body down.

"What are you doing?" He seemed really confused, but he obviously didn't mind her sitting on him if the softness of his hands on her thighs meant anything. He was just resting them there, really, but to Amy they felt as if they were burning a hole through her. She was in a pair of shorts, her sleep wear she had changed into after seeing the snow day announcement, so his hands against her bare skin was like fire.

"Um, I just thought I'd tell you that it's a snow day." He nodded, but then looked down at where she was sitting on him, still confused. Amy, of course, began to ramble under his gaze. "I just thought I'd torture everyone so I tickled Frankie, played music for the twins, and pulled the covers off Ian. I couldn't think of anything else to do but jump on you, but then that seemed too mean so I just sat on you and poked you, thinking that it would wake you. I know it was dumb, but that's me. Sorry to wake you up like that, it was stupid." She paused and saw his slightly amused eyes. "I'll be going now." She went to stand up, flustered for some reason, and was lowered back down by Ty's hands on her thighs.

"It's okay, Amy. Don't freak out, I'm not mad...just surprised. It's not everyday you wake up with a girl sitting on you...willingly." He smiled up at her disgusted face and began to laugh. Amy stood up off him and looked down at him.

"Pervert." She walked out of his room, not truly mad but glad they had joked, and heard Ty call after her.

"You know you wanted to laugh." She smiled and though, maybe, just maybe, he was right.

Short, and no real point, but oh well. Reviewww.


	7. To Wish Impossible Things

**_January 24th: Tuesday: Five days later_**

So he hadn't spoken to her. So what? So he hadn't smiled at her. So what? So he hadn't even looked at her, bumped into her, or acknowledged her for almost a week. So what?

Amy sat in her last period class, English, and mulled over the events of that first day when they'd come back to school. She had, for the whole night of that snow day, been trying to pluck up the courage to ask Ty for a ride to school. She had it all worked out and was about to go down and ask him when she saw his truck decking it down the driveway. But she hadn't lost any hope, it's not like he had known she was going to ask for a ride. She'd just have to ask that night and not wait till morning. No, that wasn't a major setback.

Then in Current Events she'd taken her usual seat and stared for at least a minute in his general direction, and did he notice her, no.

In math, sure he sat almost the whole length of the room away from her, but he could have looked at her, smiled, waved, something! But no, he just sat down all _I'm a Greek God and I know it_ and actually listened to Mrs. Lewis. No one listened to her, Amy had come to realize. So his little act wasn't lost on her.

In Chemistry the teacher had introduced a new project they were supposed to do with a partner and had made it clear that they were to have a partner by that Friday. Amy knew officially no one in that class except Ty, and so she thought maybe they could partner together, but he'd gone and sat by some fellow Greek God and she'd gotten stuck with a girl named Miriam who had a uni-brow, glasses, braces, and hair that was fit for the role of Frankenstein's wife.

By the time art rolled around Amy had no hope whatsoever that Ty was going to even glance within a mile of her person, so when she sat down, all ready to be shunned and everything, she was surprised when he sat right next to her. That surprise and jubilant joy was wiped clean when she, too late, remembered that it was his assigned seat and he'd been sitting next to her for the whole year. She thought this, though, might stem some sort of conversation, but of course, he actually worked. Like always. But, you'd think it would be different now. She had joked with him, and even had a decent conversation with him, but now all he did was ignore. Was it back to the old ways already? Was their relationship destined to be a cat and mouse trial all the time? She had tried talking to him over the weekend but he had even ignored her when it was just them. She was crushed. She'd really thought that they might have become friends, finally.

This is what she thought about during English. I mean how can someone focus on the tragedy of Macbeth and how he went on a killing spree all because of his formally in-charge wife turned psycho guilt-ridden wife when there was such a more tragic thing going on in real life.

Amy thought Ty was hot. Amy thought Ty was an asshole. Amy thought Ty might have a shred of decency. Amy wants to karate chop Ty's head off. Amy want's to be friends with Ty. Amy gets ignored by Ty and want's to throw him in a lake and wake his ass up.

Would the controversy _never_ end?

She had come to the decision that no matter what Ty said or did to make her think they had a chance as friends, she would be set on not being friends with him. Not a single word, laugh, or gesture would sway her decision that she was tired of Ty jerking her around, and that she should just focus on Ian and their friendship...the one she wouldn't mind advancing a little.

Little did she know, her decision wasn't going to be in the works very long.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Amy!" Amy swung around in the parking lot and smiled as Ian walked up to her. He was walking with Elle and Amy smiled even brighter.

"Hey guys." She shifted her backpack and frowned as Elle gave her a nervous smile.

"Hey Ames." Elle was suddenly very interested in the pavement but then she looked up and smiled brightly, as if she hadn't been the least bit different two seconds ago.

"Uh, Amy, I know I usually give you a ride home, but do you think you can take the bus today?" Ian seemed a little shy as he asked her this and Amy was friends enough with him to be able to pry. So pry she did.

"Sure, but why?" Elle cleared her throat and let a small smile flit across her face, but it was accompanied by a blush creeping up her neck. Ian had a similar reaction, except when he began to blush he reversed it by proudly picking up Elle's hand and cradling it in his.

"Well, uh, you see me and Elle...we're together now." Amy's mouth dropped open and Ian, seeing this, rambled on. "It's just a recent thing, we decided not to tell anyone for a little while, but it's been a few weeks now. We just think it's the right time, so we're going over to Stacy's house to hang out for a while and kind of...debut our relationship. I know it sounds stupid, but that's how things work around here."

"I'm sorry, Amy. We should have told you earlier. I think you've missed the bus." She glanced at Ian, then Amy, then over at Stacy and her group. "We could bring you home really quick, or, you know, you could always come with us." She seemed reluctant to even offer either of these, and Amy was in too much shock to even consider them. Here she is thinking about how she's going to focus more on her crush for Ian and them maybe working something out, when he has a girlfriend. Not to mention that his girlfriend is one of her closest friends here at Easton. Lately she'd been hanging out more with the people in her art class that sat at the 8 person table Ty and her sat at, rather than with Elle. Still though, Elle was her first friend here, and she couldn't make a move on a guy with a girlfriend, especially when that girl was Elle.

"Uh, no, I'll figure something out. I think Zeek can give me a ride home. No, no I'm sure her can. So, go have fun." She began walking away and quickly called out. "Congrats." Zeek used to sit with Elle and her group, like the first day, but that was because he was dating Jay at that time. Now the only time Amy saw him was during art and they'd become friends. If she could find him then she was sure he would give her a ride.

She walked up onto the snowy lawn of Easton High and began to search the crowds with her eyes. She couldn't find Zeek, and after nearly ten minutes, when the groups began to separate, Amy gave up and began to walk home. She wasn't even past the parking lot when she saw Ty walking out of the building. He was wearing worn jeans with a hole right below the knee, a band shirt, and an old corduroy jacket over that. He looked all _Abercrombie Model _meets _Sexy Porn Star Goes High School_. She tried not to stare at him but she imagined him in one of those movies where the hot guy is going all slow motion to intensify the moment. Yeah, this was one of those times. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder and multiple papers in his right hand. He was clueless to the few after-school stragglers and was reading one of the papers. He walked over to his truck, threw his bag in the flatbed, and hopped into the cab. The sound of his engine startled Amy and she turned away, remembering that she hated him.

She was mulling over the fact that in only a moment he would fly past her, not even realizing it was her. Of course, this was what she wanted. She wanted to be a little wall-flower for Ty. She was determined to be so helpful to his ignore-Amy feat, that he wouldn't even have to try and avert his eyes when she caught them. She wouldn't be looking in the first place.

She was a measurably puny distance from the High School when she heard Ty's truck turning onto the road. She braced herself for the air as he whipped past, but only jumped when he blew his horn.

"Are you okay?" Those were his first words. Not _'Amy, I'm so sorry for my arrogant egotistical way, please jump in my car and lets be friends.'_ Or even the real thing she expected to hear. _'Oh, you don't have a ride do you? Better hope the rents send that car ASAP.' _and then he would drive off laughing like the freaking wicked witch of the west. No, he had to go and act like he cared with the three words that always made her forgive him, but no, she was mad at him. She hated him.

"Are you talking to me?" She pointed at herself, seemingly confused, and glanced around.

"No, I'm talking to the tree behind you." He rolled his eyes, truly Ty style. "Of course I'm talking to you."

"Oh, well, you know. It's so hard these days to tell when you're talking to me. I mean, it's a rare occurrence...you can't blame a girl." She kept walking and he idly pushed the truck to keep pace.

"What in the hell are you talking about?" He drove with one hand on the wheel, the other arm was resting on the open window sill.

"I'm talking about how you're hot and cold. I can never tell when we're supposed to be decent towards each other. One moment you hate and ignore me, the other you're acknowledging me and joking around." She kicked the snow and sighed when the wind blew it all over her jeans, soaking them and making her even more cold. "I'm tired of it Ty. I get it, it's a game to you, but I don't play games. So I'm going to do you a favor." She looked him square in the eye and sat there for a moment. "I'm going to stay out of your way. I'm not going to talk to you, walk near you, or bother you in any way, shape, or form...you won."

She suddenly veered off into the woods onto a path that Jake had shown her. Jake and Mike usually rode the bus if they weren't busy with sports, which was unusual, but one time they'd all walked together and they'd showed her this path that cut through the woods and practically into their backyard. It cut off nearly ten minutes of walking.

She heard Ty yell her name, but she ignored him like she'd promised. Amy was dead serious about this. She was going to be like ice near him. No point in being nice if all she got was hurt.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**_February 3rd: Friday: Ten Days Later: The weekend of the New York trip_**

"No, I'm not bringing a skirt." Amy cradled the phone on her shoulder as she packed a suitcase for the trip to the college campus that day.

"Why not?" Amy rolled her eyes as Stacy whined into her ear through the phone. Stacy had been calling on and off since school to ask what and what not Amy was bringing. Apparently Elle had turned off her cell phone when Stacy had kept calling her, and her house phone was being used by her father for business. That left Amy with her.

"Stacy, listen to me. It is only ten degrees outside. There is snow up to our ankles and there is supposed to be more tomorrow. If you want to freeze your ass off, then so be it." Amy folded two pairs of jeans and two shirts into her bag.

"Fine, I won't bring a skirt. But I'm telling you, college guys are hot and appreciate a girl in a skirt." Amy sighed, all hope for Stacy disintegrating. "I mean, you read the letter too. We get there tonight and can do nothing, but tomorrow night, after we view the campus, we get to go out. Without a chaperone. I don't know about you, but my mom signed the permission slip that said I could go out by myself to see the town." Amy's mother had also given her permission and Lily had signed the slip for her. So yes, she was allowed to go out, but she doubted that they'd get college guys to bring them to a party or something, which is what Stacy wanted. Although, with Stacy, anything was possible.

"I'm just saying, a skirt wouldn't be a horrible thing to bring. So, maybe you should bring one." Amy already knew Stacy had at least three skirts packed, minimum.

"Sure, I'll bring one...just incase." Stacy squealed and Amy closed her only bag, no skirts included.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Amy stepped onto the bus at 6 o'clock she was steaming. She had thought that Lily was going to bring her to the school, but it had been Ty waiting in the kitchen with keys dangling from his finger. Little did she know that he was going on the trip too. She seethed at how conniving they had all been.

_**Flashback**_

_Amy lugged her suitcase down the stairs and heaved a large breath when she finally reached the bottom. She wheeled it out into the front hallway and put it next to the door._

"_Lily?" She shouted, knowing she was already late, and was fearing missing the bus._

"_In here!" Amy walked towards the kitchen and saw Lily getting a cup of tea at the counted. Next to her was Ty, all dressed like he was going out. He was playing with his car keys and Amy almost asked him where he was going, but then remembered she wasn't supposed to talk to him._

"_Are we leaving, I don't want to be later than we already are." Amy smiled, excited about the event. Lily looked confused and then glared at Ty._

"_You didn't tell her?" Amy glanced between them, seeing Ty shake his head and Lily purse her lips._

"_Amy, Ty's going on the trip too. I thought he told you. So, I figured you'd drive with him." Ty stared blankly at her and when she caught his eye, mad, he just kept staring. He had no emotion whatsoever._

"_Come on." Amy walked out, grabbed her bag, and lugged it out towards his truck. She flung it into the flatbed and then wretched open the door and climbed in. She crossed her arms in anger and waited for Ty to come. She felt him place his bag in the back and then he climbed in._

"_Amy, we need to ta..." Amy cut him off with a curt glare._

"_I told you, Ty. You won." The rest of the ride was driven in silence. When they got to the school she noticed that, indeed, they were late. The two buses were cram filled and about to take off. She saw her guidance counselor shepherding the stragglers onto the second bus. Obviously the first one was already full. Amy passed the full bus and saw Stacy and Elle looking at her sadly. Elle motioned that she'd tried to save a seat but couldn't. Amy smiled and kept walking._

"_You're lucky, you two. We were about to leave without you." The guidance counselor reprimanded them. "Go and find seats"_

Amy climbed onto the bus and looked down the aisle that was filled with arms and legs. The only seats that she could see were the way back ones...right next to the bathroom. The smelly bathroom. The bathroom everyone avoided on trips. _Just great_. She made her way back there, stuffed her bag in the overhead apartment, and sat down at the window seat. A minute later Ty sat next to her and she just turned her iPod on and drowned out the bus.

_The next chapter is the bus ride(s) and the trip, which should be interesting. Review, please!!!!_


	8. Let The Reigns Go Loose

_Wake up to a sunny day  
not a cloud up in the sky,  
then it starts to rain  
My defenses hit the ground,  
And they shatter all around.  
So open and exposed._

Amy tried not to think about the light brush of skin that kept her in contact with Ty. She took deep breaths and fought back the urge to push him away from her in a prude manner. Focusing on the rain as it pelted the window, she just listened to her iPod and closed up her mind, not letting the skin contact let her defenses fall.

The four hour ride had only been in progress for an hour and she was already going crazy. She hadn't listened to one song all the way through, and the solitaire on her iPod was steadily making her go insane. She, for once in her life, wanted to talk to someone instead of listen to music. If she had a choice she always had her iPod ready and waiting to be whipped out in a flash, but today was different. The brushing of arms was making her skin tingle in unnatural ways, and the fact that Ty was talking to the perky blonde in the seat in front of them was making her eyes grow narrower by the second.

Amy paused the music blasting into her ears but pretended she was still listening to it, all the while listening to the conversation being played out in front of her.

"So, like, the guy who worked there was all 'We don't carry that brand of eyeshadow.' I mean, who doesn't carry Estee Lauder makeup, I mean, it should be, like, a law that all stores carry Estee Lauder." She paused to flip her fake blond hair away from her face that was smothered in makeup, and in Amy's opinion, didn't need any more. Amy saw Ty's slight grimace at her story about makeup and then the girl looked at him.

"Don't you think so, Ty? I mean, I would look so much better today if they had carried my eyeshadow. I mean, I look good, but I could be better...you know?" Yeah, if you scraped off the makeup with a chisel, then maybe she'd look good.

"I think you look..." Ty paused, obviously thinking of a word to describe this girls appearance. "Pretty." Oh, so original.

"Really?!" The girl screeched in a way that managed to pop and eardrum instantly. "Do you really think so, because..." Amy couldn't listen to the girl anymore, and before she knew it she was lashing out in a manner that surprised even her.

_I found strength in the struggle.  
Face to face with my trouble. _

"Look, Blondie, I make it a goal to not lose more brain cells in a day than necessary, but if you keep rambling on about makeup and keep flipping you from-a-box blonde hair, I think I'll be brain dead by the end of this trip. So please keep your department store stories to yourself and turn around." The blonde in questions eyes popped wide open and her mouth dropped down. Amy didn't expect any sort of comeback from this girl with a single digit IQ, so she wasn't surprised when the girl just turned around and slumped in her seat, pulling earphones onto her head and examining a piece of hair, as if this would make blonde her natural color.

When Amy felt eyes on her, she suddenly realized what she'd just done. She instantly felt horrible and couldn't figure out why she'd lashed out like that. She couldn't help but think it had something to do with Ty calling her pretty.

"What the hell was that about?" Amy turned towards him, her eyes wide.

"I don't...I don't know." She stammered, still surprised at her outburst. Ty's angry gaze wasn't helping much either, though.

"Well, apologize, I think you really hurt her." Ty's gaze was scrutinizing as Amy looked at the back of the seat in front of her, willing herself to calm down. She didn't like Ty, why was him talking to some girl so upsetting?

"I will, I just...I can't right now." She felt the need to explain herself, but couldn't. She couldn't because she didn't know herself why she'd done that.

"Whatever, wake me when we get there." Ty pulled out his own iPod and turned it on, resting his head on a bunched up sweater. Amy saw the irony in this within a minute. She drowned out the world, then she wants to talk and ruins it, causing the only person she can talk to, to pull out his own musical outlet.

_When you're broken in a million little pieces  
and you're tryin but you cant hold on anymore.  
Every tear falls down for a reason.  
Don't you stop believing in your self.  
When you're broken._

Three hours later Amy stood up and maneuvered her way into the apartment above her head and brought down hers and Ty's duffel bags. She plopped his into his lap and he jumped up from sleep.

"We're there?" He asked in a cute, just woke up, voice.

"Yeah, we're at the hotel." She put her duffel bag across her shoulder and nudged her way past Ty to get in the line heading off the bus. He was instantly right behind her, awake and fresh now.

"What time is it?" He asked, his voice husky, still slightly relaxed. He cleared his throat.

"It's almost 10 o'clock." She answered in a monotone voice, still reeling from her outburst. Blondie was only a few people in front of her and when she finally got off the bus Amy hurried forward to stand next to her.

"Look, I'm really sorry about before, I don't know what came over me." Amy looked hopefully at the girl and the girls shoulders stiffened, then relaxed slightly.

"I get it, I guess." She turned her head towards Amy and smiled. "You like Ty, so you got protective, like, marking your territory...or something." Amy's relieved smile dropped and she gaped at the girl.

"I don't, I mean, I don't..." Her voice trailed off pathetically.

"Mhmm, you obviously 'don't'." She started to walk faster and Amy slowed down, putting distance behind them. Amy couldn't believe that someone had thought she actually, _gag_, liked Ty. Did everyone think her avoiding him meant she liked him? She didn't, she couldn't stand him, really. So, why had she said that...and why had Amy faltered in denying it?

_Little girl don't be so blue,  
I know what you're goin through.  
Don't let it beat you up.  
Heaven knows that getting scars only makes you who you are...  
only makes you who you are. _

Ty fell into step next to Amy as she trudged forward in awe. "So, did you apologize?" He seemed to be perky now that they were at the hotel. Obviously that little cat nap had done him some good.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Amy couldn't look at Ty, she was still confused as to why someone had thought she actually liked him. Maybe this little talk with him wasn't good, it would only ignite more rumors about her liking him in some way other than hate.

"Look, I'm going to go find Elle, she has to be around here some..." Amy was broken off by the counselor, whose name she remembered was Mrs. Poe, speaking at the front of the group in front of the hotel doors.

"Okay, everyone, we're here. Now, we didn't make any sleeping arrangement, so this is how it's going to go." She pulled out a sheet from within her front pocket on her jeans and looked down at it. "We're split onto two floors. The first bus," She pointed at the group of kids on the left who had gotten off the bus Elle and Stacy had been on. "Will be on floor 3. The second bus will be on floor 4. Now, on this trip, we are resorting back to the buddy system."

"Buddy system?" Someone yelled out and everyone laughed?

"Yes, the buddy system. I want everyone to get near the person they sat next to on the bus." There was movement as girls linked arms and guys pounded their fists. Amy awkwardly shuffled her way towards Ty. Ty seemed to not be affected by the fact that they were partners in the buddy system, he just moved slightly closer to Amy's side.

"Now, when you get to your assigned floor, your floor monitor will direct each group to a door for their room. If they're any coed groups the monitor will fix that once everyone is stationed in front of a room." She folded the paper and looked up at us. "The first bus will come with me, the second bus will go with Mr. Brailer."

Amy and Ty walked over towards the Chemistry teacher, Mr. Brailer. Mr. Brailer was the best teacher in their whole school, and the only one who would joke around with them. He smiled at his group and they proceeded into the lobby of the hotel.

"Okay, six people at a time onto the elevator, floor four." It took about ten trips on the elevator to get all the groups up, Amy and Ty being on the last one with Mr. Brailer. When they got up to the floor Amy saw that all the groups had already stationed themselves in groups by doors going down the hall. Amy and Ty chose a door right next to the elevator.

"Okay, now I know I'm supposed to split up coed groups." There were about five or six groups that were coed, some, Amy knew, were dating. "But, I happen to trust all of you to not do anything that would disgrace my floor." He glanced around and all the groups nodded and some immature girls giggled insanely. "Good." He then went down the hall and handed out the keys to the right groups.

_No matter how much your heart is aching,  
there is beauty in the breaking...yeeaah _

"So, uh, do you want to go in?" Amy looked up at Ty and saw he was looking down at the card in her hand. She turned quickly and swiped the card through the lock on room 411. They stepped into a dark room and Ty turned on the light. Inside were two full size beds, a bathroom, and glass doors leading out onto a very small deck.

"What bed do you want?" Amy glanced at the beds and decided on the one closest to the door. She threw her bag onto that bed and Ty walked past her towards the other one. After a few minutes of going through their bags in silence Amy pulled out her pajamas and bathroom things went into the bathroom. The bathroom was small and totally white. She changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, brushed her teeth, pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and went back out into the room. Ty was sitting on his bed watching t.v.

"What are you watching?" Ty looked over at her and she saw his eyes glance at her bare legs and the sliver of midriff showing between her tank and shorts. Amy self-consciously pulled her shirt down and Ty instantly looked back at the t.v.

"Uh, an old soccer game." Amy slipped between the covers on her bed and settled in to watch the game.

"We can watch something else if you want." Amy smiled and shook her head at him.

"I'm good. Plus, I doubt I'll be up long, it's late and I'm tired." Ty smiled back at her and then he turned out the light, her having talked about sleep and everything. Amy's eyes dropped in the darkness and she blushed at his thoughtfulness.

_When you're broken in a million little pieces and  
you're tryin but you cant hold on anymore.  
Every tear falls down for a reason.  
Don't you stop believing in yourself. When you're broken. _

Amy woke to the sound of a zipper being pulled slowly, as not to wake her. She glanced at the clock and saw it was midnight, two hours after she'd fallen asleep. She sat up in the pitch darkness and saw a large figure, Ty, tiptoeing past her bed.

"What are you doing?" Ty jumped at her whisper and she faintly saw his hand jump to his chest.

"Uh, nothing, go back to bed." He whispered back frantically.

After a moment of thinking it finally dawned on Amy what he was doing. "You're sneaking out, aren't you?" Ty's form stopped mid-step towards the door. When he didn't answer her Amy stood up and began walking towards him.

"Where are you going? It's midnight and we have to be in the lobby by ten." She flipped on the bathroom light and it caused her eyes to squint, but it was better than the room light that would have blinded her.

"Look, I know we're going out tomorrow, but there's this club." Ty looked at her then his gaze dropped to the floor. "Some of the guys wanted to go, and we're not allowed to go clubbing tomorrow, so we're sneaking out for a few hours."

"You know don't you, that you're not twenty-one yet?" She poked him in the shoulder. "Are you stupid? You could be expelled or something for this!" Just then there was a knock at the door and a muffled voice whispered,

"Yo, Ty. You ready?" Ty looked at her, begging her to understand, then he opened the door up to four other guys. Amy recognized Zeek and the three others were in her art class too. She glared at them, then grabbed Ty's arm so he couldn't leave.

"You can't go." She wasn't asking, and Ty's eyes pleaded with her.

_Better days are gonna find you once again every  
piece will find its place._

"Amy, I have to go." He pulled his arm from her grasp, and before she could say anything else he was out the door. Before she could think Amy flipped on the light and ran to her bag. She sifted through it, found a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a zip up hoodie. She stripped right in the middle of the room and pulled on the clothes. She slipped on her Mary-Janes, grabbed her hand bag and the room key, and then she ran out of the room, almost forgetting to turn out the light.

Amy saw the doors on the elevator shutting as she ran towards them. She instantly pressed the down button and the second elevator opened up. She jumped on and hit the L button. She waited impatiently, cursing Ty for making her act this way. When the elevator doors opened she looked around and saw only the desk clerk with his head in a game boy. She saw the boys sneaking by him and Amy followed suit. When they were outside Amy ran forward and grabbed Ty's arm, swinging him around to face her.

_When you're broken in a million little pieces  
and you're tryin but you cant hold on anymore.  
Every tear falls down for a reason. _

_don't you stop believin in your self._

_When you're broken._

"Amy?!" Ty gasped, looked down at her in surprise. "What are you doing?"

Amy looked up at him with a determined face. "You're risking your education and life, may I remind you of your mother, so I'm coming to make sure you don't fuck it up." Ty just looked down at her in awe and then the other guys turned towards them.

"Hey, Ames. Come to break some rules with us?" Zeek laughed, holding out his arm for her. She walked forward and slipped her arm though his, glancing back at Ty.

"Yeah." Ty's eyes begged with her to leave and go back up to the room. That only made her more determined, and she began walking towards town.

_When you're broken._

Soooo, the NEXT chapter will be their fun filled night, the trip, and POSSIBLY the ride home. That might be in the chapter after next. Review... Oh and I'm writing a new story soon, so I need some help.

Can someone tell me a show that's high up (for horse jumping)...like the breeders cup or something...that teens Amy and Ty's age (17 and 18) would be able to compete in??? Thank you.


	9. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

_So, I realize that I haven't stated the name of the college. Well, I am making up this college, so don't take any details for reality. I am naming it Laurence University. I have no clue if there is such a college, but I am totally making it up. It's located in upstate New York._

"So, Larry, I was thinking about like, going bowling!" Amy smiled like this was the most brilliant idea that had ever occurred in the natural world. The guy sitting next to her at the bar had short spiky blonde hair and his small lips twitched in an amused way.

"Brian, my name is Brian, but you can call me Bri." Amy's eyes popped and she began to giggle hysterically.

"Bri rhymes with Ty." Amy's laughter died down until she was somber and she took another swig from the present drink in front of her.

"Uh, yeah, I guess it does. Look, why don't we go somewhere more...quiet." Brian, Call Me Bri, smiled at her suggestively and Amy, in her slightly drunken state, didn't notice this.

"But the band is really good!" She whined, knowing she sounded like a baby. She pouted at the stage until she felt a gentle hand traveling up her leg and placing itself firmly in the space between her thighs. She took a deep breath, ready to stagger her drunk self out of there when suddenly the hand was gone and twisted in an odd angle.

"OW! Motherfucker, let go!" Obviously it hurt too. Amy couldn't help but giggle at the way Ty stood there, Call Me Bri's arm firmly held in his own.

"Keep your hands to yourself." Ty said in a calm voice. At this Amy stood up, staggered slightly, and then feebly tried to remove Ty's hand from around Call Me Bri's arm.

"Ty, let go! I can handle myself!" Amy sighed as her attempt at getting Call Me Bri free failed. "You know what? Fine, kill him Ty." With that Amy picked up her bag and pushed her way through the crowded club. Halfway in she ran into Zeek.

"Hey, you okay?" Zeek grasped her arm above her elbow in concern.

"I'm fine, I just need to get out of here." Zeek nodded and then made eye contact with someone behind her. Before she could turn to see who it was he was leading her out of the door, past a line of at least forty people trying to get in. They walked down an alley and at the end Amy was dismayed to see Ty standing there, waiting.

"Hey, man." Ty and Zeek nodded at each other and Zeek let go of Amy with a quick squeeze on her arm. She saw him meet the other guys they'd come with and Amy scoffed at them as Ty now took her arm and led her down the sidewalk.

She tried to protest by swatting at his hand and pulling herself free, but his grasp was too firm. Finally she gave in and let him lead her. She did, however, throw in the random curse now and then to let him know she was pissed at him.

"Where are you taking me?" Amy slurred, her head spinning from all the cosmos and beers she had downed in the last three hours. She had never in her life gotten drunk, and of course she had to take that leap on the day she planned on possibly choosing a path for her future. One dumbass point for Amy.

"There's a coffee shop around the corner." Amy rolled her eyes like triple cherries on a slot machine and followed him into a small sidewalk shop. Ty guided her up to the counter and she vaguely heard him order a black coffee. Amy was surprised that he knew she liked it black, but of course she did live with him, and she drank coffee every day. When the girl at the counter handed Ty the coffee he slapped down a five dollar bill.

"Keep the change." Amy smirked at this line and started to giggle again when Ty pulled her through the doors out into the chilly night. She let him guide her as she watched her feet zigzag. This amused her to no end and finally she pulled herself free of him and danced out into the deserted road. When she stepped foot on the pavement her feet slipped from beneath her and she had to pinwheel her arms to keep her balance.

"Woah!" She yelled, highly amused at her near death experience. She began to skate around on the icy road to the protests of Ty.

"Amy, get back here, its dangerous on the road." Amy stuck out her tongue in a childish manner, but at the moment she couldn't care less. "Seriously, it is, and for more then one reason."

"One." Amy sang, waiting for his first reason. Ty sighed and stopped walking to watch as she attempted a figure eight that ended up looking like more of a figure five.

"One, a car could come." Amy laughed as she swirled in circles continuously.

"One, I'd move!" Amy laughed, knowing she had won the first fight. "Two." She caroled.

"Two, you're drunk and on ice. I don't think that's a very safe combination." Amy stopped mid-pirouette, mouth agape.

"I resentith that. I am_ soooo_ not drunk. Maybe a little tipsy, but _soooo_ not drunk." Ty chuckled at this before stepping out onto the icy road. Amy held up her hands in the signal for 'stop right there.'

"Amy, you may not think you're drunk, but you are. So just let me help you..." Amy cut him off by sliding farther up the street.

"Oh, and like you didn't drink!?" Amy glared at him in the dim lighting of the street lamps.

"I had one beer, and I didn't even finish it. I don't even have a buzz." Amy smiled slightly at the idea of Ty and beer. It was what she would have expected from him when they first met, but now it just seemed silly.

"I don't care. I have never, ever, _ever_ been drunk in my _whole_ entire life time. I think I deserve a freaking **_buzz_**!" Amy shouted the last part and Ty couldn't help but smile.

"I have an inkling you have more than a buzz, Amy." Amy rolled her eyes to the dark sky and attempted another figure eight, sliding farther and farther away from Ty.

"I've always been the good girl, Ty. The girl who does her homework, never skips class, never drinks or smokes or_ lives_." Amy looked into Ty's eyes, her face totally sober. "I just want to live." She whispered, but nevertheless her voice traveled slowly and softly into Ty's range.

"Amy, I..." Amy shook her head as Ty started to speak. They were quiet for a moment before Amy's voice filled the silent void.

"Have you ever seen the Rockettes?" Ty nodded. "You know the part where the ice lifts out of the stage and there's a couple skating around, all grace and beauty? Well as a kid I used to think that down there, the women, that she was a princess and she had everything just because she was so beautiful and because she was skating with that man, and he never once let go of her. She was alive and that's all I ever wanted, was to be her."

"Amy..." Once again Amy shook him off. She slid as gracefully as she could in a circle around Ty. When she was back in front of him she skated backwards, keeping eye contact.

"Right now? I'm her." She smiled in happiness. "I'm alive!" Ty was captivated by Amy as she held her hands in the air and spun in circles, a smile plastered to her face. Albeit, she wasn't very sturdy, but her happiness and the fact that such a simple thing made her happy, just pulled at his heart in an odd way.

"Ty?" Amy stopped, looking at him with her head cocked.

"Yeah?" He asked, shaking himself out of his reverie.

"Will you be my guy?" Ty wasn't sure what she meant at first. He had a startling moment where he thought she meant her boyfriend, but he threw that off quickly as he realized what she meant. The guy in the Rockette couple, the one she was supposed to skate with.

"I, uh, I mean..." Ty sputtered, at a loss for words. Amy smiled coyly and sauntered up to him, now walking instead of sliding, and she grabbed his hand. She, in the back of her mind, was surprised at her boldness. Obviously, when drunk, she was more blunt. She began to pull him, and he went with her at first, but then he stopped, making her jerk forward till their faces were only an inch apart.

"We need to get back." Those were his words. Amy deflated and tears began to well up in her eyes. She had no clue why she was reacting this way, and just nodded, letting go of his hand and walking back towards the hotel, knowing Ty was right behind her.

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**_4 ½ hours later: 8am_**

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Amy slid a pillow over her head as a jackhammer started up in her ears. She heard shuffling in the other bed and sighed in relief as the torture ended. She moaned as she noticed the pounding in her head, which happened to feel like huge hammers beating away at her brain mercilessly. She once again heard the sounds of a bed squeak and then groan in relief. She knew that Ty was standing next to her bed, but she couldn't make herself turn her head. While many of the events from the night before were blurry, she remembered the road scenario with quite sharpness. Ironic, since that might have been the only thing she had _wanted_ to forget.

She heard a sigh, which could only be Ty giving up, and then a door shutting. She peeked her head out from beneath the pillow and instantly closed them, the bright sunlight burning a hole into her retinas. She moaned and took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes and sitting up. Which, it turns out, was a horrible idea. The room spun in an unnatural way and instant nausea kicked in. Her hand flew to her mouth as she ran, stumbling, towards the garbage can. As she threw up her three cosmos and two beers, she heard the bathroom door reopening.

"Amy?" She felt her hair being lifted away from her face and neck and, once again, her eyes welled up at the simple gesture. She sniffed them away, and wiped her mouth on her shirt. The shirt was white, and large, and...not hers. Her eyes widened and she turned to face Ty, slumping against the wall.

"Am I wearing your shirt?" She swallowed as he nodded sheepishly. "Great." Amy glanced up at Ty. His hair was wet and falling in messy tendrils across his forehead. He was wearing a pair of loose, but not falling down his butt loose, jeans and a plain dark green t-shirt. She instantly lowered her eyes in embarrassment and what she thought might be anger. She was horrified at her drunken night but the way he had acted, like he couldn't care less, had put anger into her body. She just had to remember that she hated him. She didn't like him. That was all there was to it.

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_**10am**_

"Having fun?" Amy glared at Ty, who had just sauntered up to her as she attempted to extract coffee from the metal cylinder in front of her.

"I would be totally fine and not hung over if this damn thing would work!" Amy threw down her cup as she gave up on coffee. Ty calmly picked up the cup and in and instant had hot coffee spouting from the previously broken machine.

"Lucky." She muttered. All morning Amy had tried to ignore Ty, like nothing had happened the night before that had changed their hate-hate relationship, but he just kept sneaking up on her in her vulnerable moments. She had finally decided that Ty thought she had no recollection of the night before, and he was just trying to talk to her...like he had been on the bus. She had no problem keeping it that way. So, all she did was acknowledge his presence, throw a word or two around, and walk away.

"It takes skill to work this kind of advanced machine." Amy smiled politely at Ty, and then grimaced as little hammers began pounding, once again.

"Oww." She moaned, trying not to show pain lest someone other than Ty noticed.

"You okay?" Amy nodded and she looked around the small cafeteria. She saw Elle and Stacy at a table full of guys and she instantly saw that there was no room for her. When Ty walked over towards a table that Zeek and the guys from the other night were sitting at, she could only follow. When she sat down there was an instant break in conversation. She looked up, confused by the silence, and saw that they were all staring at her.

"How's our little rebel this morning?" Amy scowled at Zeek and the others as they all laughed hysterically.

"Am I the only one who drank?" Amy had an inkling that all these guys were totally sober and hangover free.

"Oh, we each had a beer or two. It usually takes me four just to get tipsy though." Zeek smiled at her as the other guys nodded. Obviously they weren't talkers.

"Well lucky you. Apparently, I can't hold my alcohol." Ty smiled at this, seemingly remembering her flattering upchuck session earlier that morning. "Well, my alcohol capacity aside, I have a question. I don't mean to sound rude, but, what are your guys' names?" She pointed at the other three guys she had gone out with last night and she hadn't even had the courtesy to ask their names.

"No prob, you were kind of out of it last night. We didn't expect you to remember our names." This was one of the dark haired boys talking. There were two dark haired and one slightly copper headed boy.

"Wait, wait, wait! You already told me your names?" Amy groaned and slapped her head into her palm as the three guys nodded.

"Seriously, we won't hold it against you." Amy looked up just in time to see that this was the copper headed one, and he had just winked at her. Hmm, interesting. He was sort of...hot.

"Well, isn't that a relief." Amy smiled, slightly flirtatiously at this copper headed wonder. She ignored the splitting pain in her head as he smiled back, only making her lips curve farther upwards, permanently implanting nails in her head.

"I'm Marcus, by the way." Amy could tell, she was absolutely positive, that he was flirting back. She realized that her pounding head had minimized and she made herself believe that it was because of this boy. This Marcus. Oh, if this was all it took to heal a hangover, then who was she to go against mother nature?

"Nice to meet you Marcus, I'm Amy." She reacher her hand over the table towards him, and was not surprised at all when his large hand swallowed hers. His hand, though, was rough. Obviously he worked with his hands, and boy, did he work some other parts of his body. That was clearly defined by the muscles practically straining against his blue and white polo shirt.

Someone cleared their throat and Amy and Marcus dropped each others hands. She hadn't even realized their handshake had been...a little longer than normal. She laughed nervously and everyone at the table smiled except for Ty.

"Well, _anyway_, I'm Julian, a.k.a Jay, and this is Aric, nice to meet you." The two brunettes shook Amy's hand and then their table went silent.

Before she, or anyone else for that matter, could strike up a different conversation, all the teachers filed into the room, along with the speaker from a few months ago.

"Here's to the longest day of my life." Amy held up her cup and the guys, all except Ty that is, laughed and all bumped their drinks to hers before listening to the teachers who had just begun to explain the plan for the day.

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_**Three hours later: 1pm**_

Amy stood, leaning against a statue in a large courtyard, trying to listen to her guide for the day, Mrs. Callahan. All day Amy had staggered along on the tour, occasionally grabbing Zeeks arm for support, trying to take in the school on a mighty high hangover. She had, on instinct, reached for Ty's arm every time she stumbled, but thought better of it and grabbed the next nearest persons. Of course, the hangover didn't help any. Ibuprofen and coffee had helped the spinning and the pounding, but there was still quite an effect on her motor skills, making the school seem far less important than stopping the chiseling of her brain.

What she had seen, though, was beautiful. The college, Laurence University, was located on the outskirts of the town of, irony of irony, Laurence. It wasn't a particularly large college, but it was big enough that Amy knew she would get lost many times before ever being able to find her way around. The school was red brick and consisted of old turrets and balconies. It was like a large palace turned college campus. It was nestled among the forests that surrounded the small town and therefore trees encircles Amy as she stood on the campus. Although she was only seeing the winter version, they had been given a pamphlet that had a picture of the college in summertime. Flowers blooming and kids walking to class. The perfect replica of the ideal college. Amy loved it, and she hadn't even seen half of it.

"Now this is the infamous Laurence Bell." Mrs. Callahan was explaining, standing next to a fairly large bell. Amy swore she could hear the capital B in the word bell. Obviously this was really a famous bell. "Back when LU was considerably smaller and a High School this was the bell that signaled the change of classes." Some kids snickered at the thought of this bell alerting kids to class changes rather than the present day bells. "Yes, yes, I know it's quite old fashioned, but that's how it was. Now there is a tradition that when someone has a large test or final of some sort you're supposed to ring the bell and it will bring you luck."

Mrs. Callahan suddenly looked excited and looked around at the group of twenty she was showing around. "Would anyone like to try?" It just so happened that Amy's group consisted of the geekier kids, eliminating her and the guys, who would never have the nerve to publically participate in anything other than a chess competition, so she was quite positive noone was going to ring the bell and make her Ibuprofen pill popping be in naught.

That is, until Ty stepped forward. She sent him a desperate look and he only smiled at her. He picked up the tool hanging from the bar next to the bell that looked like drum stick with a tennis ball on top, and rung the bell. The sound reverberated through Amy's skull and she closed her eyes as sharp needles dug themselves into her brain, shooting pain being the after effect.

Ty sauntered back towards Amy, an accomplished smile on his face. Amy glared at his through her pain.

"That was brutally cruel." Amy whispered to him as the group moved forward into the school. When Ty only laughed Amy walked in front of him, saying over her shoulder: "You're an ass."

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_**At the end of the tour: Dinner time: 7pm**_

"Amy, over here!" Amy turned slowly around, her motor skills still sort of...shaky. Across the dining hall she could see Elle standing up out of her chair and waving her arms at her. Amy quickly paid the cashier for her, small, dinner and walked towards Elle. Before she was even out of the line someone grabbed her arm.

"You aren't sitting with us?" Amy smiled at the sound of Marcus' voice. They had been together all day, with the others too...unfortunately, and they had become friends. Amy couldn't help but notice that he wouldn't have stopped her if he didn't want her to sit with them. Possibly next to him?! She didn't want to ruin this, especially since Elle had ignored her the whole trip, so she turned towards him and smiled, barely noticing the rest of the guys behind him.

"Uh, I was just going to say hi to some of my friends, I'll be over in a minute." Marcus looked relieved and let her arm go. Amy carried her tray towards Elle and smiled slightly.

"Hey, Elle." Elle was still standing and Amy had to move her tray away from her body when she hugged Amy.

"Amy, you're sitting with us, right?" Amy hesitated, looking around the table. It was Elle, Stacy, and two other guys she had never met before. She then looked back at Elle apologetically.

"Uh, I kind of already told Ty and them I'd sit there." Elle followed Amy's gaze towards the middle of the hall where the five boys were already eating.

"Amy, I thought you didn't even like Ty anymore." Amy's eyes dropped at this. She had told Elle and Stacy on many occasions that while at some points they were civil towards each other. Amy mostly stayed away from Ty.

"I don't. But he's my partner for the trip, not by choice, and I've kind of become friends with the other guys. I mean, I've been with them the whole trip so far." Elle only nodded, looking disappointed.

"Okay, but promise we'll hang out tonight?" Amy looked over at the guys and then back at Elle.

"I'll find you at some point, okay?" Amy wanted to stay near Marcus...get to know him some more.

"Yeah, sure. Have fun." Amy smiled at Stacy and Elle before walking back towards her table. She took the only empty seat, between Julian and Aric, and smiled at the table.

"You know, I'm the only girl at this table." Julian laughed and slung an arm over Amy's shoulder.

"Well, see here, Amy. We've never met a girl like you...one that would sneak out with us in the middle of the night. So we've come to the decision that you're allowed to hang out with us." Amy glanced at Ty, who wasn't looking at her. She knew immediately that he hadn't opted for her to be in their group...and for once in her life...she didn't care.

"Allowed, huh?" She poked Julian in the side playfully. "I think I maneuvered my way into you're little cult without any permission. Thank. You. Very. Much." This only resulted in Julian and Aric tickling her sides, making her burst out in laughter.

_Next is that night when everyone is allowed out and the bus ride home. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_


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